History

One of our first walks was to Old Moulsoe WoodFirst organised walk to Lodge Farm, April 2011

The walking society Cranfield University’s Walks was formed in April 2011 during the exceptionally warm Easter weekend, when the first organised lunchtime walk from Cranfield University to Old Moulsoe Wood, to see the beautiful bluebells, and Lodge Farm, North Crawley, took place.

Kristina, founder of Cranfield University’s Walks

The founder of the walking society is Kristina (on Twitter @CUwalker) who recalls: “During my first year at Cranfield University I was not lucky getting accommodation on campus so I moved instead to a quintessentially English village in Northamptonshire. There, every Saturday morning, locals would meet in front the paper shop and go for a walk. It was a great way of getting to know people, exploring the countryside and getting some fresh air. In my 2nd year I was offered a place on campus so I moved to Cranfield. I was surprised how quiet it was and disappointed that walks/hiking were not promoted in any form or shape by the university in spite of the campus being located in the middle of countryside. I started to go on nature walks around the campus on my own: the incitement came from a member of staff who kindly presented me with an Ordnance Survey map one afternoon. Then I though to myself, why don’t I invite other students along and re-create what I experienced in the Northamptonshire village a year before?”

Four months later, with more than 140 members (students and staff) signed up to a dedicated Facebook group page, and having done more than 30 walks to various destinations (e.g. Chicheley Hall, Olney to Clifton Reynes, Woburn Abbey, Cranfield village), it was time to form – again, as there used to be a walking club in the past – an official walking society at Cranfield University, under the auspices of Cranfield Students’ Association. The WordPress website “Cranfield University’s Walks” was created by Kristina (who is the owner of the website) in September 2011 in an attempt to make communication easier with our members who are Facebook non-users. The society received an award from Cranfield Students’ Associations for best event in year 2011-2012.